Saving and Submitting Your Presentation Name your presentation by presenter name or seminar name and the date of the current revision, example: Ted_Johnson101416 or Easy_selling091516 Please upload the final presentation to: https://forte.sharefile.com/r-rb6ed20d690945999 You may also email your presentation to: droccaforte@msn.com Deadline is Thursday Sept 7, 2017 As a back-up please bring it to the show on a thumb drive or on your laptop. Each seminar room will be equipped with: Projector and screen A laptop with your presentation loaded, a wireless slide advancer A lapel mic and sound system Flipchart and markers Please indicate if any additional AV equipment is needed for your presentation please contact Allison Little ALittle@Trimega.org or Janet Eshenour Eshenour@independentstationers.coop

GROW YOUR FEDERAL BUSINESS WITH EPIC BUSINESS ESSENTIALS

AGENDA Welcome How to Begin Paperwork, Certification & Integration Strategy Setting Initial Contact and Presentation Pricing and Proposal Objections & Close Questions

How to Begin? It all starts with an e-mail or phone call… Scott Zintz or anyone on the EBE team Discuss your business, what prospects are near you What margins can you expect (honestly) strategy and more so we can guide you in the right direction We want you to have an understanding of the programs before sending you paperwork and certification process… We have three options…which is right for you? Then we can send paperwork and start certification

EZ Print FSSI OS3

Jacobs Gardner FSSI OS3

Independent Stationers Schedule 75

Contract Details and Differences EZP FSSI OS3 JG FSSI OS3 IS MAS 75 OS3 Mandated OS3 Not Mandated Essendant First Call SPR First Call 15,000 contract Mid 20’s margin with a good mix Woman Owned 2,500 contract Open Market Small Business Cert Full line catalogs Consortia Award

Paperwork, Certification and Integration There is a lot of paperwork…for good reason Compliance is essential Learn more about your business Policy and Procedures – the legal stuff Certification includes webinars and a test After you are certified, we can begin Order Point Integration Nita Turpin and team will work with you No longer an option for using your own website Then you receive the cost files and marketing information

Strategy Setting Who in your business will lead the charge? What are the true margins? How will you compensate sales team? Who is in your market How can you network with them? Gaining access to the actual buyers Why do they want to buy from you? Know all ways customers can place orders from you***

Initial Contact and Presentation DO NOT SAY YOU HOLD THE CONTRACT Make a list of all entities in your market But start with 1 few to get your feet wet Apply for a base pass for your sales rep and driver Have a marketing sheet of how they can order from you and a basic price list for key items Understand their small business goals

Initial Contact and Presentation Meet the procurement card administrator Request purchase card holders’ contact information Meet small business advocate or administrator Seek assistance and let them know you can help them meet their procurement goals Meet and work with your local GSA representative Discuss your certification for the MAS 75 (Independent Stationers

Initial Contact and Presentation Participate in federal building tenant meetings Held once a month Run advertisement in local or base newspaper or issue a press release Announce that you are GSA and AbilityOne certified Attend vendor days, card-holder trainings & table-top events Demonstrate why you should be their preferred vendor

Proposal and Pricing MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO WORK WITH YOU Most Card Holders rarely see a sales rep Often times they will buy from the last person Be prepared with a price sheet and catalog Have a marketing sheet detailing how to order Make sure they know you have Ability One items And that our website automatically subs to these Keep up to date on new items and pricing

Proposal and Pricing Small Business set asides Find out their requirements and how they fill them today Talk about everything that makes you unique ASK FOR THE BUSINESS And then ask who else you should meet with Be Patient…and Persistent… Follow up, follow up, follow up Don’t expect orders to come just because you have a contract!

Objections and Close I will get back with you…. Let me check with my supervisor… Call me next month… I like my current supplier… Why should I buy from you? Are you the cheapest? Can you send me your pricing?

Questions What is happening with FSSI? Are we on FedMall? Amazon and Essendant as competition?